Health News 2 Use

November 26, 2006|Valerie Nahmad and The Washington Post

True, False or totally ridiculous?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away: TRUE (ish)

It won't replace your regular check-up, but a steady intake of apples or other fruits will likely improve your health. The myth refers to a belief that the consumption of fruits and vegetables will provide you with essential nutrients, says Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger, a family practitioner in North Miami Beach. And this is true: If you eat fruits you'll feel better, healthier and more energetic. Wollschlaeger notes that diets heavy in fruits and vegetables, like the government-recommended DASH diet, have been associated with lowered blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as other health benefits. Apples are also rich in fiber, which is critical to bowel function and digestion, and phytonutrients, which are believed to lower risks of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. An extra bonus for dieters -- one medium-sized apple weighs in with zero grams of fat and a mere 80 calories. You still have to go to the doctor [if you eat a fruit-heavy diet], says Wollschlaeger. But you'll go less.

This is an occasional series probing popular health myths. Send your questions to kvarma@sun-sentinel.com and we'll dig up the answers.

-- VALERIE NAHMAD

EXERCISE

Jump on plyometrics

Plyometrics is just one part of an overall training program in most collegiate and professional sports, but vertical jumping specifically has been pressed into the spotlight in recent years.

Exercise scientists and physiologists publish paper after paper detailing what methods work best to increase vertical jumps.

One study of 19 female volleyball players in 2005 found that aquatic plyometric training -- including power skips, spike approaches, single- and double-leg bounding and squats done in a pool -- improved vertical jumps by about four inches more than a control group that did flexibility exercises and traditional volleyball training. Another study of 28 women in 2004 found that plyometrics might be able to reduce the risk of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in women. The regimen was found to reduce peak vertical impact forces by an average of 26 percent in the training group that did low-intensity jumping and landing exercises, while the control group that had no interventions saw no changes.

DOCTORS & COMPUTERS: BY THE NUMBERS

28

Percentage of U.S. primary care doctors who use electronic medical records

23

Percentage who use computerized alerts for potentially harmful drug doses or interactions

40

Percentage able to offer care to patients outside working hours

Source: Commonwealth Fund 2006 International Health Policy Survey, published on the Web site of the journal Health Affairs -- The Washington Post